← Back to searchWord Index →

Is the word soubesse the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

Yes

The word "soubesse" is the pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo (imperfect subjunctive) of the verb saber (to know). There are no differences in its meaning, spelling, or grammatical function between Brazilian and Continental Portuguese. The only difference lies in pronunciation: in many Brazilian dialects, the final "e" is often reduced to a nearly silent schwa, whereas in Portugal, the pronunciation of the vowels follows a different rhythmic pattern (stress-timed vs. syllable-timed), though the spelling remains identical.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

How a Brazilian would naturally use this word in conversation:

  1. Se eu soubesse, ia te avisar. (If I knew, I would tell you.)
  2. Se ela soubesse a verdade, ia ficar brava. (If she knew the truth, she would get angry.)
  3. Se você soubesse disso, ia ficar muito triste. (If you knew that, you would be very sad.)
  4. Eu não teria vindo se soubesse que ia chover. (I wouldn't have come if I knew it was going to rain.)
  5. Se eu soubesse disso, eu te contava agora mesmo. (If I knew that, I would tell you right now.)

Portuguese (Continental) Examples

How a Portuguese person would naturally express the same ideas:

  1. Se eu soubesse, tinha avisado-te. (If I knew, I would have told you.)
  2. Se ela soubesse a verdade, ficaria zangada. (If she knew the truth, she would get angry.)
  3. Se tu soubesses disso, ficarias muito triste. (If you knew that, you would be very sad.)
  4. Não teria vindo se soubesse que ia estar a chover. (I wouldn't have come if I knew it was going to be raining.)
  5. Se eu soubesse disso, contava-te já. (If I knew that, I would tell you right away.)